Can-labeling machine



Nbv. 27, 1923. 1,475,358

- c. H. WILD CAN LABELING MACHINE Filed July 2. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l I gwwntoi Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHAR-LES H.

* 1,475,358 PATENT OFFlCfE. 1 y

WILD, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, nssienon rro sunr- MAonInE contrAnY, mconrona rnnn oonronnrron or MARYLAND.

CAN- ABELING MACHINE,

Application filed July 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WILD, a citizen of the United States of America, re- ,sidin' in the city of Baltimore, State of Marydand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Labeling Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The inventionrelates particularly to the application of labels to cans having protruding portions in the cylindrical sides or bodies most frequently appearing in the formof baleears or eyes for the attachment of the bales or handles to the cans. j

The machine shown is similar in structure to previously patented machines, the machine of'United States Patent No. 1,323,940 being a good illustration of this type. The difficulties incident to the attachment of labels to cans having protruding ears without special provisions to this end are apparent and the improvements employed in the present machine as distinguished from the 1 previous can labeling machines referred to relate to the provision of means for overcoming these difiiculties which may be listed as bumping and sliding of the cans, uncer-- tain and uneven progress of the cans through the machine, the difliculty incident to causing the openings in the labels to register with the ears and that incident to laying-the labels flat on the can surfaces.

To overcome these difiiculties I have provided the ways or floor of the machine on which the cans roll, with spaced openings to admit the ears as the cans roll through the machine so that contact of the cylindrical surfaces'of the cans with the: floor or ways is regular and uniform andthe cansroll without bumping or" sticking. I-have also provided for so starting or for so positioning the cans at the start, that the ears do in fact engage the openings provided for this purpose the'same'being arranged to provide for different sized-cans.

' In addition to the aperturing of the floor" or ways, the label support or table is apertured and the tension rolls are cut away opposite the ears eliminating all chances of sticking or catching of the can on account of the ears as it passes through the labeling machine.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a labeling machine of the type referred to adapted to the'labellng of cans hav- 1921. Serial No. 482,038.

'ing bale ears or similar projections, the dis closure beingthe preferred embodiment of my nvention which is the subject of this application. i

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; 7

Figure 2 isa plan of the same;

F igure'3 is an enlarged detail showing the position of a can with an ear in contact with placement of the cans as they roll through the machine and a can actuating belt .3, which is driven by a pulley 4, at one end and supported on a suitable idler pulley 5 at the other end. This beltis horizontal, parallel to the frame and spaced above the frame, the lower span of the belt serving to contact the cans from above and roll them through the machine.

The cans enter the machine by way of an inclined chute 7 at the left inFigure 1, pass through the machine propelled by. the belt 3 and leave the machine by the inclined chute 8. The belt is held in contact with the cans. bymeans of spring pressed rollers 10 as illustrated and described in the previous pat-.

ent referred to.

' Adhesive, preferably cement, is applied to the cans as they pass, the cement being held in a pot orreceptacle-12,;fromwhich it is raised by. a roller or brushnot illustrated, the same being carried on shaft 13, driven by belts and pulleys '1l15 and 16 from the pullley 5 which carries the can actuating The chute 7 which maybe fed by hand has a passage or entrance 9, for the cans at right angles to the direction of the chute. The cans are inserted in. this entrance with their 0 lindricalwalls or sides parallel to the wa ls or sides of the entrance passage and moved or slid in the direction 'of'their axes until the reach the main passage or chute 7. At t is point each can is rotated backwards, i. e., left handed as viewed in Figure 1, until one of the bale ears comes in contact with the starting'gage or stop a label apertured'for proper, the same being inthe form of a sliding plate 26. The latter is adjustable in the direction of the feed of themachine providing for the variation in spacing of the ears on the different sizes of cans.

The chute 7 is preferably slotted at 27 directly beneath the gage to receive the lower ear and at a point further along as indicated by reference character 28 to receive the upper ear as it comes around. The chutes may be made interchangeable to provide for variation of the cans but variation is also provided for the adjustability of the gage up and down by means of slot 21, and thumb screw 20, and in the direction of the feed by means of slot 25 and thumb screw 23, and by a multiple spacing of the open ings or slots as hereinafter appears.

As the cans leave the chute and enter the ways beneath the first pulley 5, they pass over the cement pct 12 where heat llquefied cement is applied as is common in machines of this class. Beyond 'this cement pot the support 30 is apertured at 31 to admit the corresponding ear and retain the spacing of the cans so that the ears will register with the apertures in the label on reaching the label table. The latter is substantially centrally placed in the machine and is indicated by reference character 32. The label table is actuated in any manner to maintain a suitable feed of the labels as illustrated in the previous patents on this subject, the.

important feature of the label tablev of the present machine being that it is apertured at 33 and 34 to admit the ears, the tables being interchangeable to provide. forv the various shape and sizes of cans, length of labels and spacing of the ears. The labels are placed on the table with the apertures registering. They are supplied to the table in packs as in other labeling machines;

Beyond the table 32 is the presser plate 36, the same being slotted, i. e;,. provided with elongated openings 37 spaced to admit the bale ears on the cans. The elongation of the openings provides forsome variation of diameter and of the spacing. of the ears though the plate is interchangeable provid ing for any spacing of the openings and of the ears and variation in the size of the cans. Beyond the'presser plate 36 is a pad or sponge 38. The plate 36 is a spring plate corresponding to the plate 49, in the United States Patent ii:1,? 23,940 to John L. l/Vhitehurst and Charles H. Wild. It differs therefrom principally as to slots 37. The plate serves to press eachlabel against the can surface immediately after it is taken upby the can.

It will be noted that the openings to re ceive the bale ears are on the near side of the machine as viewed in Figure 2 which presupposes that the cans are to be'inserted in the machine top first. This is, of course,

a matter of choice of design of the machine it unnecessary to consider the position of;

these rollers in gaging the starting point of the cans and that paste is applied to the ends of the labels on the label table by means of a transverse belt 40, passingthrough a paste pot 41 and carriedon pulleys 42, 43 and 44, the latter being carried on a drive shaft 45, actuated by bevel gear 46, driven by a second bevel 47, which is inturn driven by a grooved pulley 48, which is driven by belt 49', passing over pulley 50 on the transverse shaft 51, which carries the actuating belt driving pulleys 4.

The labels are applied in the usual man-- nor by rolling them around the cans and lapping the coated edge. With the help of the starting gage which gives uniform placing of the baleears relatively to the ways, the bale ears are caused to; enter the openings in the supports and. presser plates and to register with the holes in: the labels, giving a uniform progress'of the, cans avoiding bumping, slipping and sticking or jamming, resulting in uniform rolling and pressing of the labels on the cans, giving the product,

i. e., the labeled can, neatness and permanence-as to the retention of the label.

The operation of the machine is believed to have been fully set forth in connection with the description of the machine. Havbe a convenient ing thus described specifically and in detail it a single embodiment of my invention, I would have it understood that; the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather.

than in alimiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 7

1. In a can labeling. machine for aflix ing labels to cans means for feeding the through the machine; a support for the cans as they pass through the machine and suitable means for applying adhesive to the cans and label holding and feeding means and means for sticking the ends of the labels, the support havin spaced apertures to receive the ears as t e cans roll through the machine, providing uniformity of contact of the cans with the support and means for causing the bail ears to register with the apertures.

2. In a can'labeling machine for affixing labels to cans means for feeding the cans through the machine; label sup-porting feeding and pasting means, a support for the cans as the pass through the machine and suitable adhesive applying means for the cans, the supports having suitably spaced apertures to receive the ears as the cans roll through the machine, providing uniformity of contact of the cans with the support and permitting them to roll through the machine uniformly without slipping or sticking, and tension rollers apertured to pass the ears and a starting gage to cause the bail ears to register with the apertures.

3. In a can labeling machine for labeling of cans having cars, a chute for feeding cans to the machine, having an entrance opening at the side, a gage for positioning the ears in alignment with the opening, the chute being provided with suitably spaced apertures for the ears, some of said apertures being elongated, ways, means for applying adhesive to the cans and a horizontal belt for propelling the cans along the ways, the ways including suitable supporting means for the cans, apertured to admit the ears, a label table having apertures spaced to correspond to the ears, pasting means for sticking the ends of the labels and a presser plate having correspondingly spaced apertures.

4. In a can labeling machine for treat ment of cans having cars, a chute for feeding cans to the machine, a gage for positioning the ears in alignment with the opening, the chute bein provided with suitably spaced apertures or the ears, said apertures being elongated,ways, means for applying adhesive, and a horizontal belt for propelling the cans along the ways, the ways including suit- 5 able supporting means for the cans apertured to admit the cars, a label table having apertures spaced to correspond to the ears and a presser plate having correspondingly spaced apertures.

5. In a can labeling machine for treatment of cans having ears, a chute for feeding cans to the machine, having an entrance opening atthe side, a gage for positioning the, ears in alignment with the opening, the chute being provided with suitably spaced apertures for the ears, said apertures being elongated, ways, means for applying adhesive, and a horizontal belt for propelling the cans along the ways, the ways including suitable supporting means for the cans apertured to admit the ears, a label table having apertures spaced to correspond to the ears and a presser plate having correspondingly spaced apertures, also apertured to receive the cans.

6. In a machine for labeling cans with bail ears, Wafys, means for applying adhesive, means or propelling the cans along the Ways, the ways having apertures to admit the ears, and a starting gage to cause the cans to register with the apertures.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 29th day of June, 1921.

CHARLES H. WILD.

Witnesses:

MAR! MILLER, Pon'rnn H. FLAUTI. 

